Health and Human Services Inspector General Daniel Levinson suggested recently that nursing homes that misuse and/or overuse antipsychotic drugs should be penalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This proposition was discussed during testimony to a Senate Special…

We are currently in litigation in a case against Caretel in Livingston County, a skilled care facility, that failed to report a serious medication error occurring when a resident was given her roommate’s medication. The roommate was diabetic. Our client’s loved…

The Ten Rights of Medication Administration have recently been reviewed. Become aware and familiar with the medications that are administered to your loved one; ask the nursing staff for a copy of the current medications and keep the list updated…

It seems as though you cannot leave a physician’s office nowadays without a prescription for something.  It is easy to get medications confused or to become complacent (i.e. just doing whatever the physician tells you without considering that a mistake…

To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration. The ninth right, the right evaluation requires an observant nurse to recognize the resident’s response to medication and if the desired outcome…

To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration. The eighth right, the right documentation requires a precise nurse to record every medication administered, including any related facts. The nurse should sign…

To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration. The seventh right, the right education requires a knowledgeable nurse to provide the resident and/or family with information that is easily understandable. Instructions…

To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration.  The sixth right, the right assessment requires a competent nurse with the knowledge, judgment and skill to accurately assess the resident.  Nurses…

 To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration. The fifth right, the right time, requires a punctual nurse. Again, the nurse must complete the routine checks (tip #28) prior to administering…

To ensure accurate and proper “med pass,” the nurse must adhere to the Ten Rights of Medication Administration. The fourth right, the right route requires a sharp nurse to recognize how and where the medication enters the body. The most…